How to hold a pencil when drawing

Drawing is a form of art that primarily involves pencils. There is simply no drawing that can be accomplished without pencils. But, if you do not know how to hold a pencil when drawing, the result will never be good. Even if you buy the most expensive pencils in the world, the success of your drawing still depends on how well you hold your tool. In this post, we will discuss the different styles of holding a pencil that will improve your drawing skills.

Different ways to hold a pencil

Let us look into the different methods of holding a pencil for drawing beautifully.

Overhand hold

In the overhand grip, you must hold the pencil nonchalantly with the thumb’s flat area against the fingers. The positioning of this grip greatly depends on the size of your hands. But the main objective of this hold is to secure the pencil on your hand yet grip it in a relaxed manner. The overhand hold is typically used when artists are sketching. Shading is definitely easy in this pencil hold, and it is great for drawing on upright surfaces like an easel. Most of the time, the overhand grip is seen by many artists as the best way to hold a pencil.

Traditional Tripod Hold

The most basic way of holding a pencil is the tripod grip, which is how you usually hold a pen when you write. In this pencil grip, you create a triangle using your thumb, middle finger, and forefinger. And use your pinkie and ring finger to support the triangle. This pencil grip makes it possible for you to get a tight hold of your pencil, which is very important when accuracy in drawing fine detail is a must. The vertical position contributes to the precision of shading with the optimization of the pencil tip, rather than using the side. In the tripod grip, your thumb and fingers control the motions of the pencil. However, try not to put your drawing hand on top of the paper in order to let the articulation of your wrist run freely. This pencil grip is ideal for drawing on an A4 sketchbook or paper, and even smaller.

Extended Tripod Hold

This method is similar to the basic tripod hold, with the exception of the finger’s placement. You place your forefinger, thumb, and middle finger way higher than usual, at the center of the pencil. This technique gives your small finger the freedom to generate bigger motions of the tip of the pencil. And that is a well-organized and economical method of sketching. This way of holing the pencil is a great way to ensure lower risk of creating smudges on your drawing. Just make sure that you loosen up a bit while holding your pencil. A tight grip can easily tire you out, and it restricts the flow of your drawing.

Underhand grip

This is the tipped-over pencil hold of the basic tripod hold, and you can makes changes to suit your needs. You have the option to place your thumb much higher up, or you can let your pencil rest at the center of the V in the palm and thumb. In the latter hold, you allow the middle and index finger to control the pencil tip. The underhand hold is an extremely relaxed and loose method of holding your tool while sketching. It is also perfect for using a charcoal to draw.

Paint brush hold

In this pencil hold technique, you hold your pencil the same way as you handle a paint brush. Hold the pencil vertically and let the back edge touch the crease found in the middle of your thumb and index finger. It is ideal to be used when you are drawing faint and tantalizing marks. This method is also best when you are trying to create a graphic comparison of your drawing and in generating a layout. By using this paint brush grip, you are utilizing the pencil’s tip to draw.

Tips on handling a pencil

You may have not realized it, but you already have a favorite method of holding your pencil. Try to observe how you handle your pencil while you draw, and find out what type of pencil grip you are doing.

It may be awkward at first to try out different pencil hold methods, but as an artist you need to evolve in order to learn new things and improve. Take time to practice different ways to hold a pencil, and learn new methods exclusive to your along the way.

Do not limit yourself in one or two pencil handling. You are an artist, and you must have a broader view of things. There is nothing wrong with being loyal to what you are used to, but it is absolutely beneficial to learn new ticks that can improve your drawing methods.

Practice daily until you are comfortable with all the pencil grip techniques. Try to draw using each method, and compare your drawings. Be analytical in your findings, and figure out which style best suits a certain drawing aspect, surface, or creation.

Final say

There are different ways of holding a pencil, but it is up to you which one you are comfortable with. It would not hurt though to try to learn how to execute all the pencil grip styles. Your knowledge will surely come in handy during the course of your drawing life. Choose a style that is suitable for you. There is absolutely no rule that says you can only have one pencil grip method to use. You can use them all in one sitting, depending on the requirement of your drawing. The most important thing is your dedication to optimize all resources to create a work of art using your pencil.

Remember that you need to purchase the highest quality of pencil for your drawing. But your expensive pencil cannot draw on its own. It needs your guidance and proper handing.